The Beauty and the Beast
by lokilette
Summary: Luna knows the Forbidden Forest is, well, forbidden, but there's something in it she needs to find. What she discovers instead will change her life forever. Just like Beauty and the Beast, love comes in all forms and sometimes in unexpected places. Three-part drabble series.
1. Beauty and the Beast

_I remember reading this book lent to me by a dormmate—a Muggle story about a beautiful young woman who meets a hideous beast. Such things aren't normal in the Muggle world, she explained, but I couldn't imagine living such a life. In the end, they fall in love, and the beast transforms into a handsome prince. That was her favorite part. For me, it was a tragedy._

 _What if the beast was simply a misunderstood soul trying to find himself, looking for a place he belonged? What if the beauty just wanted someone to see the real her, beyond first appearances? What if, in the end, they both remained true to who they were while, at the same time, still managing to change each other for the better?_

 _Now_ that _would be quite the story..._

 **...o0o...**

The sun drew little designs on the leaves, and Luna paused to watch. So many of them, yet no two exactly the same—just like humans. Unlike humans, they were dying, paving the path to winter, while everyone in the castle was very much alive, more so now than ever.

Luna tore her gaze away and continued deeper into the Forbidden Forest, pausing at every flower bush to examine it. Thus far, her search had turned up nothing, but she was determined. The dead leaves crackled under foot, underpinned by the occasional snapping twig. It formed a melody that she found herself humming to. It had no words as of yet, but maybe one day...

Oh! Another flowering bush on the left. Luna left the music behind as she approached it and rifled through the branches. Nothing. Perhaps deeper in the bush? She parted the branches the rest of the way, only to gasp as she let them snap back together. She found something all right: a pair of china-blue eyes.

"Forgive me if I startled you," the owner of the eyes said as he stepped into view.

His voice was like a siren's song. For a moment, she understood what it was that drew men to their deaths upon the rocks—the mystery and the magic. They were simple words, but Luna relaxed, daring even to smile.

"I wasn't expecting to run into anyone. Guess that's silly of me, with all the things that live in these woods."

"It's Ms. Lovegood, yes?"

"You can call me Luna, Professor."

"I am not your professor anymore. Here, I am just Firenze."

"Firenze." She tried it out, rolling the word around her tongue like it was some forbidden delicacy. It was weird, after studying under him for a year, but it felt natural, too. "I'm sorry to disturb you."

"It's no bother, but the forest is no place for a young witch. Surely you know it is forbidden?"

"Well yes, of course. It's right in the name, isn't it? But, you see, I'm looking for something, and this is the only place to find it."

Luna glanced around, tracing the path of sunlight through the trees, the way it illuminated the particles in the air. It had to be here. Somewhere.

"You know," Firenze crossed his arms and looked up to the heavens as he spoke, "the stars foretold that I would meet someone important today. Perhaps I am intended to help you. What is it you seek?"

"They're called Petalpuffs."

"A Petalpuff, you say?" Firenze scratched at the tuft of fur on his chin as he thought. Every now and then, he shifted his weight from one hind leg to the other, though he didn't seem to notice. "I've never heard of it."

"They're really quite rare. They live in flower bushes, and they're made to look just like flowers, but they're actually quite similar to birds. If you find one, they're supposed to bring good luck. I thought Hogwarts could use a bit of luck."

Recovering from the war had been difficult, and when students had returned this year, it was hard to fall back into the routine. But if she could find a Petalpuff—or maybe two or three—then that would change. They could build nests all over the castle, and pretty soon everyone would have an abundance of good fortune. That was what the Wizarding World needed most of all: something to smile about.

Luna waited, staring up, way up—was he that tall or was she just that short—into his blank face. There was no way to read his emotions, so she prepared herself for the inevitable scoff or laugh that would come. Plenty of people did it, and that was just fine with her. Everyone had to find their own path in life, and no two would be the same.

But the judgment never came. Instead, he smiled—just the smallest and briefest of smiles, really—and a light turned on in his eyes.

"I know a clearing not far from here filled with flowering bushes. Shall I lead you there?"

"That would be lovely, please, if it's no trouble."

Firenze bowed his head and shoulders ever so slightly before turning tail and leading the way.

Leaves rustled as they walked, the occasional twig snapped, and every now and then a hoof would _clop_ on a rock. Now that was a melody that required no words.

 **...o0o...**

 _We searched for the better part of the afternoon, but we never did find that Petalpuff. Instead, we discovered something even rarer. Something akin to an enchanted rose, one could say, waiting for just the right moment to bloom._

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Three-part drabble collection (~800-ish words each) for the Valentine's Day Odd Couple Speed Dating challenge at Diagon Alley II. I tried to think of one of the oddest non-crack pairs I could think of, and Luna/Firenze popped up. They're really, really difficult to write sooo...this may not be the greatest thing ever. xD I apologize ahead of time.


	2. The Hunter

_What if, in this retelling, the hunter isn't really the villain everyone makes him out to be? What if he truly, deeply cared, with all of his heart? So much so that it was debilitating, squashing all capacity for reason. And since his feelings confused him and he didn't know how to react to his fear of the unknown, he behaved poorly and in anger._

 _What if, in the end, all he wanted was what he imagined was best for the person he cared about—as misguided, perhaps, as the idea was? Is it ever really bad to fight for someone you love?_

 **...o0o...**

The snow fell from the sky—millions, billions, maybe even _trillions_ of unique entities blazing their own trails through the air. They landed like frozen kisses on Luna's cheeks and lashes, and every now and then she had to brush them away.

She moved her arms and legs slowly—first out, then in, then out again. Her father always said that if a real angel saw a snow angel, they would bless someone in the area. Luna wasn't sure whether or not that was true, but it couldn't hurt either way, could it?

When she was finished, Luna rolled onto her side, resting her head on her hand and planting her elbow firmly into the ground to support her. Firenze looked so much in his element that it nearly took her breath away. Though he was kneeling beside her, he remained erect and stoic like a marble statue decorated with glittering snowflakes. Even his white-blonde hair took on a sort of luminescence, and the sheen of his off-white skin, and the depths that lurked in his glacial eyes.

They had spent a lot of time together in the past months, yet there was still always something surprising to discover about the centaur, even if it was something so simple as the way he looked beneath a mid-winter flurry.

He started, and the muscles in his flank rippled as he stood. Luna followed suit, but it was a few more seconds before she heard what he had and even longer to place what it was: the muted crunch of hooves on packing snow. The beat slowed, and a moment later a large, black centaur came into view, heading their way.

Firenze went rigid—more so than usual, if that was possible—but Luna did her best to don her sweetest smile as she called, "Good afternoon, Bane." She even threw in a little wave for good measure. But nothing could break the centaur's icy façade. She should have expected that by now, but she refused to give up. He'd come around. Eventually.

"Are you here? _Again_?" Bane stopped just short of a sneer, but he did dig one of his rear hooves into the ground and kicked up mud and snow behind him. It was obviously meant to be some kind of rude gesture. "I thought I made it clear before that you don't belong here."

"We don't own the forest, Bane. We simply dwell in it," Firenze said gently but firmly, the way one would to a stubborn child.

"She is a _human;_ you are a centaur. Have you no dignity?"

"Who I choose to interact with is none of your concern."

Bane clenched his jaw as he closed the distance between him and Firenze. Through clenched teeth, and with a lowered voice as if she couldn't hear, he said, "After everything I have done for you, this is how you behave? Did I not take you in as a yearling, welcome you into the herd? Teach you the ways of our kind when you had no one else to show you? _Raise_ you?"

"You did all that and more, but you do not _own_ me."

Rage flashed in Bane's eyes—white hot and dangerous. Luna recognized it even before the centaur's brows narrowed and his face contorted to reflect his inner turmoil.

"You'd do well to remember your _place_."

The last word was practically spat out, and at the same time, Bane raised back onto his haunches.

There was no time to think. Luna reached into her robe and drew her wand, putting up a barrier as she stepped in front of Firenze. Only too late did she remember that it would only protect against _magic,_ and a hoof didn't quite fall into that category. She had just enough time to get her arm up and her body out of the way.

The moment his hoof found a target, Luna knew the arm was broken. She felt the bone give way, but she bit back her cry.

Bane looked taken aback. He stepped backwards a few steps before harrumphing and trotting off into the woods. Firenze, on the other hand, seemed mortified.

"It's broken, isn't it?" he asked, holding out his hands as a silent order to let him inspect it.

"It's not that bad," Luna lied, clutching her arm to her chest. It was throbbing something fierce, and if she let him know how bad it really was, he'd never stop blaming himself. "Madame Pomfrey will have it fixed in no time. She really is quite good at it. Healing, I mean."

"Then you should get going right away. I'll take care of Bane."

Luna nodded and turned to go, but she only made it a few steps before turning back to say, "I'll see you next week?"

"Maybe we shouldn't. If you come..."

 _You'll be in danger._ That's what he really meant to say, she was sure of it. But she smiled and shook her head, causing her radish earrings to bounce against her skin.

"It's all right. I'm not afraid."

 **...o0o...**

 _Bane's reaction was wrong by any normal moral compass. Yes, of course it was. Maybe he even knew it, too, after the fact. But I couldn't blame him for it any more than I could blame my father for his actions during the war. Sometimes people transform into fools when they fear for someone they love._

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So, I had no idea what a young centaur is called. Foal sounded demeaning, and child just felt wrong. So I went with yearling. XD Not sure it's much better. I actually like this couple as a sort of fling, but I have also come to realize that I just simply cannot write them worth crap.


	3. Happily Ever After

_What if this wasn't a fairy tale after all but reality, where happily ever after doesn't exist? What if love wasn't always enough and instead of bringing people together, life sometimes drove them apart? Maybe somewhere down the line something will make them remember the time they shared, and they'll pause. The people around will think they're odd, staring off at nothing in particular. When someone finally asks, "What is it?" the answer will be, "Nothing," and they'll smile because it's a secret they share, and the rest of the world doesn't have to know._

 **...o0o...**

Change was in the air; it was fresh and crisp and smelled slightly of wildflowers. The ground squelched, belching up some of the moisture it retained from the past week of rain, as Luna made her way carefully to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Firenze was already waiting at the treeline, standing immobilized between two large trunks like an alabaster gargoyle. He appeared to have all the patience in the world, but Luna knew better than that by the way his tail jerked against his hind legs.

She scarcely got out a, "Good morning," before Firenze grabbed her hand and pulled her into the forest.

"Where are we going?" she asked, struggling to keep up with the centaur. After all their time spent together, she had concluded that there would be times having four legs would be more convenient than two. This was one of them.

"I have something to show you."

The response told her nothing, and she had a suspicion that it wasn't meant to. So be it. She certainly wasn't opposed to surprises.

It always amazed her how Firenze seemed to have an intricate map of the forest splayed out in his mind, navigating it with ease, whereas she was lost after the first few times they zigzagged around obstacles.

A few minutes later, the trees gave way to a clearing that was budding with life. Firenze released her hand and motioned for her to follow quietly. The wet underbrush wasn't exactly ideal for sneaking, but Luna did her best just the same.

He stopped in front of a blooming bush and motioned toward it.

"I found it just this morning," he whispered.

"Is that why you asked me to come? It's quite lovely."

Luna got the impression that he would have rolled his eyes if not for his proper upbringing and the indignity of the act itself.

"Look closer." He parted the branches carefully, and one of the blooms moved ever so slightly. "This is what you have been looking for, is it not?"

"Oh, it's a Petalpuff!" Luna breathed, sticking her face closer to get a better look.

"Did you still intend to bring it back to the castle?"

"No, I suppose not. I don't think it'd be too happy there. No bushes for it to nest in, you see. I think just having it here is enough."

"Wise choice."

Luna bit her lip as her mind raced. The school year would be ending soon, and she could already feel the pressure of all the imminent changes weighing on her shoulders. She was glad for most of it, but some things, she hoped, would never change.

"We should make a wish," she said slowly as the idea blossomed in her mind. "The Petalpuff brings good luck, so we should ask it for some luck for the future."

"That sounds like a fine idea, but perhaps we should ask for each other? Otherwise, it might be misconstrued as greed."

"Yes, I agree." Luna turned to look into his piercing blue eyes. They had always seen through her façade. Did he already know that at the end of this school year she would be leaving? Yes, he must have figured as much already, even without her saying it. "For you, I wish all the luck in the world in leading your herd down the right path and finding a place where you can live side-by-side with humans instead of at odds with them."

"Thank you." Firenze bowed his head in acknowledgement. "And for you, I wish you to become the sort of magizoologist you always wanted to be and that you always find whatever it is you're searching for."

They hugged, not for the final time but with the unspoken realization that there would, one day soon, be a last.

 **...o0o...**

 _And they lived happily for the rest of their years._

* * *

 **Author's Note:** It's done! This was a fun little drabble collection. I'm not sure I'd write them again, but I find the pairing interesting and would probably read them from someone who knew how to write them well. xD


End file.
